1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to trailer hitches and, more specifically, to an extendable rotatable hitch/trailer-coupling device which communicates between an existing vehicle's hitch mounting arm and a trailer's securing means. Said device extends the means for engaging a trailer by an existing hitch mounting arm from an exact point, which usually requires an additional person giving directions as the vehicle approaches the trailer, to an elliptical connection zone whereby the hitch extension member and swivel head member can be selectively engaged either individually or in concert to extend to the trailer hitch component.
The present invention is a hitch assembly comprising a rotative coupling sub-assembly and a hitch extension sub-assembly having additional elements comprising a rack sub-assembly for carrying bicycles and/or skis.
The hitch sub-assembly is comprised of a hitch extension member and a hitch extension member plug.
The hitch assembly is mounted to the existing main hitch-mounting arm by inserting the hitch extension member into the aperture of the main hitch mounting arm and fixedly being attached thereto by means of the hitch pin.
The hitch extension member has a plurality of spaced apart oppositely opposed transverse holes providing means for selectively choosing, aligning and fixedly positioning said choice with the main hitch mounting arm hole using the hitch attachment pin thereby longitudinally extending the hitch coupling mechanism. In addition the hitch extension member has a rotative coupling sub-assembly positioned on the other end of said hitch extension member.
The rotative coupling sub-assembly is comprised of a swivel head, pivot bolt, swivel head spacer, swivel head spacer washers, and an L-shaped swivel head cap member. Said rotative coupling sub-assembly is mounted onto and supported by the hitch extension member. The swivel head is positioned between the cavity of the L-shaped rotative coupling cap member and the extension member. Said L-shaped rotative coupling cap member and extension member being spaced apart by the swivel head spacer positioned within the swivel head aperture and rotatively fixed therein by inserting the pivot bolt.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are other hitch attachment device designed for aiding in coupling a trailer. Typical of these is U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,823 issued to McBride on Mar. 14, 1978.
Another patent was issued to Speer on Aug. 3, 1993 as U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,133. Yet another U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,087 was issued to Head on Oct. 11, 1994 and still yet another was issued on Sep. 22, 1998 to Ostrander as U.S. Pat. No. 5810,542.